Asking Rails 3 to render a pdf from a file but getting template error instead

Rails
1

Why is Rails looking for a template while I have told it to render a
specific file? This worked under Rails 2. I read
http://www.engineyard.com/blog/2010/render-options-in-rails-3/ which
from I
gather makes any format.xxx look for a template xxx which is not what
I
need to do as the file is created dynamically:

In my controller:

pdf_file_path = "./directory/file_name.pdf"  # just an example,

assume
this file exists
respond_to do |format|
format.pdf { render :file => pdf_file_path }
end

But I get:

ActionView::MissingTemplate (Missing template comparisons/display with
{:handlers=>[:erb, :rjs, :builder, :rhtml, :rxml], :formats=>[:pdf],
:locale=>[:en, :en]} in view paths
“/Users/DK/Documents/ror/projects/creditcompare3/app/views”):

Is there a way / better way to do this?

2

On 29 October 2010 19:03, David K. [email protected] wrote:

Why is Rails looking for a template while I have told it to render a
specific file? This worked under Rails 2. I read
http://www.engineyard.com/blog/2010/render-options-in-rails-3/ which from I
gather makes any format.xxx look for a template xxx which is not what I
need to do as the file is created dynamically:

I think you misunderstand that article.

Looks to me that instead of passing css filenames into the
“ActionController.add_renderer” block, you could just as easily pass
your actual dynamically generated PDF, and then have the “send_data”
call send your file.

But I agree, it’s certainly easier the just “render :file => foo_bar”

  • which I do in some of my controller actions, and I’ve not moved to
    Rails3 yet, so I’ll be interested in your result.
3

On Oct 29, 2010, at 2:03 PM, David K. wrote:

  format.pdf { render :file => pdf_file_path }

, :rjs
, :builder, :rhtml, :rxml], :formats=>[:pdf], :locale=>[:en, :en]}
in view paths “/Users/DK/Documents/ror/projects/creditcompare3/app/
views”):

Is there a way / better way to do this?

I think that you’re looking for either send_file or send_data
depending on how you create the PDF. If there actually is a file,
then send_file will be what you want. If you still have the data in
memory, then send_data(stuff) is similar to render(:text => stuff)

-Rob

Rob B.
[email protected] http://AgileConsultingLLC.com/
[email protected] http://GaslightSoftware.com/

4

On Fri, Oct 29, 2010 at 1:22 PM, Michael P. [email protected]
wrote:

Looks to me that instead of passing css filenames into the
“ActionController.add_renderer” block, you could just as easily pass
your actual dynamically generated PDF, and then have the “send_data”
call send your file.

Thanks Michael and Rob - you got me through this. The following works:

send_file “#{TEMP_DIRECTORY}/#{comparison.id}_#{params[:view]}.pdf”,
:stream
=> false, :type => ‘application/pdf’, :disposition => ‘inline’

But I agree, it’s certainly easier the just “render :file => foo_bar”

Right. I know there must be a good reason for a lot of these changes and
at
some point it will all come together the ponies and rainbows will
appear. I
am waiting semi-patiently for this moment :slight_smile: